Animal Kingdom Savannah view or pool view? Or Beach Club Resort? or French Quarter

[chucksusanandgrace]

Hello there,

We will be traveling during Easter time! We have previously stayed many times at both Port Orleans Riverside and Wilderness Lodge. We love them both very much, but wanted to pick a different location. Plus, we can not stay at Riverside due to our daughters dog allergies. We are usually at the parks most of the day, but do try to come back mid day for a little rest and a swim. So it would be nice to have a nice pool if possible. Also, pretty grounds to walk around and quick service food is great for us for early morning food & snack mid day.

We have an only child (teen) age 14. So it will be my husband, myself and our daughter. We considered Boardwalk Inn, but thought this might be geared too much for partiers due to the bars, etc. Plus, I didn't like the lack of restaurants. Perhaps someone can tell me if I am wrong? The location looks fun, but the grounds look a bit boring.

Anyway, I'm not overly excited about staying so far away at the Animal Kingdom, but thought it might be a fun idea. Is it worth it to splurge on the Savvanah view room? Or should we just book a pool view. It's about $90 more a night. But I'm thinking if we are going to stay way out there we might as well make it worth it. Most importantly, is the Savvanah room stinky from animals?

We would stay at Polynesian in a heartbeat, but I do not want to pay more than $500 a night for lodging. Right now they are $777 a night and up. Eek

Beach Club looks fun but I've read some posts saying that they are outdated. We also want 2 Queen beds and they say they can't guarantee that. We might get 1 Queen and a day bed. I don't think my daughter would like that as she is used to sleeping on a full size bed. I'm not sure if that is true or not. There is no availability during our time frame, but I keep checking.

Lastly, wondering if we should just stay at Port Orleans French Quarters for easy access in and out.

Thank you so much!

 

[KenHutch]

Well French Quarter is our favorite resort. Everything in it no matter where you are is a short walk. Its about a 5 minute walk from the river to the entrance. And since you've stayed at Riverside you know about the boat ride to DS. All that being said in June for our 5th trip we are staying at AKL. During my little resort hopping day I do every trip AKL went out of their way to show off the hotel even giving me a tour of the rooms.

 

[chucksusanandgrace]

Well French Quarter is our favorite resort. Everything in it no matter where you are is a short walk. Its about a 5 minute walk from the river to the entrance. And since you've stayed at Riverside you know about the boat ride to DS. All that being said in June for our 5th trip we are staying at AKL. During my little resort hopping day I do every trip AKL went out of their way to show off the hotel even giving me a tour of the rooms.

 

[Mattimation]

We stayed at AKL in September, and it is a beautiful resort, but I'm not sure it'd be worth the stay if you don't have a Savannah room. It is very far from almost everything, and while we enjoyed our stay there, we decided we probably won't stay there again just because of the long travel time to the parks. Definitely worth dinner some night (we love Sanaa but I know most people prefer the other restaurants). There's no smell in the Savannah rooms - I've stayed there twice and never noticed anything. There's actually a fair distance between the rooms and the animals, it's not like the 90s commercials where giraffes are knocking on your windows or anything.

That all being said, my Mother has said any time she goes to Disney World she will only be staying at AKL with a Savannah room. She's not much of a parks person, and that resort is far and away her favorite place in Disney World.

I think a Savannah room is worth the experience at least once, but if you're just overlooking the pool or parking lot it's probably better to stay closer to the park.

 

[JessicaW1234]

We love French Quarter with the boat access to DS.

 

[chucksusanandgrace]

I was reading that AKL is generous giving upgrades. I am going during Easter, so I don't know

We stayed at AKL in September, and it is a beautiful resort, but I'm not sure it'd be worth the stay if you don't have a Savannah room. It is very far from almost everything, and while we enjoyed our stay there, we decided we probably won't stay there again just because of the long travel time to the parks. Definitely worth dinner some night (we love Sanaa but I know most people prefer the other restaurants). There's no smell in the Savannah rooms - I've stayed there twice and never noticed anything. There's actually a fair distance between the rooms and the animals, it's not like the 90s commercials where giraffes are knocking on your windows or anything.

That all being said, my Mother has said any time she goes to Disney World she will only be staying at AKL with a Savannah room. She's not much of a parks person, and that resort is far and away her favorite place in Disney World.

I think a Savannah room is worth the experience at least once, but if you're just overlooking the pool or parking lot it's probably better to stay closer to the park.

Thank you! I'm wondering if we should switch to Beach Club if we can get it or Boardwalk Inn then. I appreciate it.

 

[Sara_H]

We stayed at AKL two years ago and even though we booked a "cheaper" room, we were upgraded to a Savannah view room. It was pretty cool to see the animals but at the same time it's not like the animals are outside your room 24/7. There was no smell and we enjoyed the design of the resort as well as the pools. Lots of people say that "it is so far away"; I don't necessarily agree. Yes it isn't right near MK but I didn't feel like it took that long to get places. We never had issues with the buses or had to wait for very long. We will be going to the Beach Club in a few weeks for our first time and we are very much looking forward to that...so I can't give any thoughts about that resort yet. Regardless, you will be at Disney so there really isn't a "wrong" choice.

 

[ktlm]

If your daughter has significant allergies one thing to think about with BC is the scent that they pipe into the lobby. I'm allergy prone (allergic to cats, but not dogs), and the scent they pipe in the BC lobby makes me very ill. I can not be in that lobby very long before my chest starts tightening and I get all congested. We stayed at BC once and I was miserable- I got more and more miserable as the week went on. Since then, we have stayed at YC several times and I am fine there, but we do go over to BC for QS, and if I am on that 1st floor at BC more than about 10 or 15 minutes, it starts affecting me every time.

We have done Savannah at AKL and really liked it. Our only issue with AKL is that you are entirely dependent on buses or your car to get anywhere and it is not really close to anything except AK which is DD's least favorite park. That said- it certainly is fun to look at your room window and see giraffes hanging out. We would absolutely do a Savannah room at AKL. For us, seeing the animals from the room window is the main reason to stay at AKL. Their QS was good when we stayed there, and we really liked Boma too.

We haven't stayed at Boardwalk, but have walked around the resort several times since we have stayed at YC multiple times. It is a really good location since you can walk to both EPCOT and DHS. There always seem to be a lot of kids around.

 

[GoBlue21]

We stayed at AKL in September, and it is a beautiful resort, but I'm not sure it'd be worth the stay if you don't have a Savannah room. It is very far from almost everything, and while we enjoyed our stay there, we decided we probably won't stay there again just because of the long travel time to the parks. Definitely worth dinner some night (we love Sanaa but I know most people prefer the other restaurants). There's no smell in the Savannah rooms - I've stayed there twice and never noticed anything. There's actually a fair distance between the rooms and the animals, it's not like the 90s commercials where giraffes are knocking on your windows or anything.

That all being said, my Mother has said any time she goes to Disney World she will only be staying at AKL with a Savannah room. She's not much of a parks person, and that resort is far and away her favorite place in Disney World.

I think a Savannah room is worth the experience at least once, but if you're just overlooking the pool or parking lot it's probably better to stay closer to the park.

I agree. We stayed at AKL this past December. We had an AWFUL room, overlooking the roof of BOMA and off the lobby. We HATED our stay. We are never going back. The beds were uncomfortable, the mirror on the wall was falling off, the drums at night kept us up, we barely saw any animals. Do not go unless you have a Savannah room.

 

[chucksusanandgrace]

If your daughter has significant allergies one thing to think about with BC is the scent that they pipe into the lobby. I'm allergy prone (allergic to cats, but not dogs), and the scent they pipe in the BC lobby makes me very ill. I can not be in that lobby very long before my chest starts tightening and I get all congested. We stayed at BC once and I was miserable- I got more and more miserable as the week went on. Since then, we have stayed at YC several times and I am fine there, but we do go over to BC for QS, and if I am on that 1st floor at BC more than about 10 or 15 minutes, it starts affecting me every time.

We have done Savannah at AKL and really liked it. Our only issue with AKL is that you are entirely dependent on buses or your car to get anywhere and it is not really close to anything except AK which is DD's least favorite park. That said- it certainly is fun to look at your room window and see giraffes hanging out. We would absolutely do a Savannah room at AKL. For us, seeing the animals from the room window is the main reason to stay at AKL. Their QS was good when we stayed there, and we really liked Boma too.

We haven't stayed at Boardwalk, but have walked around the resort several times since we have stayed at YC multiple times. It is a really good location since you can walk to both EPCOT and DHS. There always seem to be a lot of kids around.

This is good to know. I actually just switched my reservation to BC. lol, i'll be changing it yet again. lol But I appreciate it because both my daughter and I are sensitive to smells. I wonder what scent they pipe into their lobby. Too much smell is too much!

 

[chucksusanandgrace]

I agree. We stayed at AKL this past December. We had an AWFUL room, overlooking the roof of BOMA and off the lobby. We HATED our stay. We are never going back. The beds were uncomfortable, the mirror on the wall was falling off, the drums at night kept us up, we barely saw any animals. Do not go unless you have a Savannah room.

How disappointing that you had a bad room with uncomfortable beds. ugh! I bet it was a standard room. Then it sounds like we would want to upgrade to savvanah for sure. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Hopefully]

I believe you may be happiest staying at POFQ that you know you like. With your only child a new teen and all your worries about “drunks”and “ partiers” and stinky smells I think you are best staying where you know you will be comfortable.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

We spent a week at Boardwalk in 2015. I am not a fan. The bakery is nasty and there is not another quick service. Our room was fine and the boats to HS and Epcot were nice, but the bus service was abysmal.

We spent a night at AKL in 2016. We had a pool view which was perfectly fine. We enjoyed the public viewing areas, but a savannah view would have been great. I would love to stay there again!

We have only stayed at Coronado out of the moderates. I think we may be delude snobs.

 

[ktlm]

This is good to know. I actually just switched my reservation to BC. lol, i'll be changing it yet again. lol But I appreciate it because both my daughter and I are sensitive to smells. I wonder what scent they pipe into their lobby. Too much smell is too much!

Sorry! Lol. A lot of people love it, and maybe it would not bother you...but it does not love me, nor I it. It is pretty much the only scent at WDW that does that to me. I have seen reports that it is Green Clover and Aloe from Enviroscent, but I have no clue if that is correct.

If you have ever walked through the BC lobby, it has not changed in years, so if it did not bother you before, it probably won't bother you now.

 

[BriLovesDisney]

Out of the ones you mentioned, AKL would be my choice. If you can afford it I would get the Savanna room, but there are also animal observation decks available to guests if you do not want to pay the price. The distance from everything is really not even that noticeable to be honest, and the resort has amazing restaurants. If you can stay at AKL (in any room really) I would take it.

We stayed at the Beach Club once and it was nice, but there are better resorts. We hate all of the moderate resorts, so I don't recommend POFQ.

 

[chucksusanandgrace]

Out of the ones you mentioned, AKL would be my choice. If you can afford it I would get the Savanna room, but there are also animal observation decks available to guests if you do not want to pay the price. The distance from everything is really not even that noticeable to be honest, and the resort has amazing restaurants. If you can stay at AKL (in any room really) I would take it.

We stayed at the Beach Club once and it was nice, but there are better resorts. We hate all of the moderate resorts, so I don't recommend POFQ.

What’s your favorite resort?

 

[Deb & Bill]

You can get a pool view at any resort. How many can you get a savanna view at? Go with the savanna view. If you get a view of the Boma roof, you are probably booking a pool view room.

 

[FSU Girl]

Animal Kingdom Savanna room. The resort is beautiful, the quick service is really good, and having the uniqueness of the animals outside your room is unlikely anything else. I've stayed there multiple times and I'm going back soon. I wouldn't stay there without a Savanna room though, I think having that view is what makes this hotel worth it.

 

[lancermom]

We own DVC at AKL, and while we don't always stay there, when we do, it's only ever in a Savanna room. No, our room has not been stinky. The animals aren't that close. As far as partiers go at BW? No, I have never seen drunk people at BW. Of course, drunk people can happen anywhere, but no, it's not a problem at BW or at any other resort, really. As far as lack of restaurants go, the Boardwalk has several restaurants, plus you can always wander over to Epcot to eat. That's what we loved most about staying in that area. Just popping into Epcot for dinner or a drink.

 

[Jules76126]

I have stayed at BW and BC. Personally, there are not any more people partying at the Boardwalk than at the other resorts. Yes, there is nighttime entertainment, but have you seen how much it costs to drink at Disney? Most people are very respectful and most likely you will not even notice a difference. Some people don't care the clown pool or lack of QS. I personally love the BC. I love walking over to Epcot and from some rooms you can even see some fireworks. They have the best pool imo. My sister has bad allergies and does not find the smell overwhelming, but definitely something to consider if you are concerned. I also would stay at AKL in a savanna room only as I feel that is part of the pull of going there.